Bells Beach spent much of 2024 releasing single and then triple hop hazy pales under the Secret Spot banner. But if you prefer your hazies a little larger, then Raglan Haze – their core range hazy IPA – will do the trick. They've squeezed everything they can from NZ hops Nectaron and Nelson Sauvin: the candied tropical aromas are of the explosive sort, yet possess a creamy nature too. Taste-wise, it's reminiscent of a curd you’d find on the breakfast table of an old Yorkshire B&B, or slapped between pastry and meringue.
For all that upfront overloading, there’s a crispness to the finish – more down to texture than bitterness – which makes for quite the journey. With your nose as guide, you come in expecting something fatter and boozier yet it sashays on through, trailing fresh tropical hops in its wake yet barely leaving a mark despite its 6.5 percent ABV.
James Smith
Published September 5, 2024 2024-09-05 00:00:00
